Fortify and Tethon 3D Partner to Develop Technical Ceramics for 3D Printing

Fortify, a Boston-based 3D printing startup, and Tethon 3D, a company in ceramic 3D printed materials, report their collaboration to advance adoption of ceramics in various additive manufacturing applications. 

The partnership allows U.S.-based companies to serve a range of industrial applications as well as classified projects with government agencies. Tethon 3D's expertise in formulating high-performance technical ceramics for 3D printers, combined with Fortify's advanced 3D printers designed to operate with loaded resins, enables high throughput production of heavily loaded technical ceramics for end-use part production.

“Expanding our platform to the technical ceramics market is a natural evolution for Fortify,” Joshua Martin, CEO and co-founder of Fortify, says. “Pushing the envelope with these materials requires processing of highly-loaded, abrasive, and viscous materials. These are the same capabilities that drive our success across various technical photopolymers. Tethon 3D is an ideal partner for us based on their ability to quickly formulate materials.”

The market for 3D printed technical ceramics is on the precipice of a new long-term period of growth, according to analysts. The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2021-2027 is expected to reach 33%. Fortify seeks to accelerate the transition of technical ceramics manufactured via conventional methods (representing an $8B market today) to additive manufacturing.

Applications for ceramic materials include extreme temperature environments, high wear requirements, and broad chemical compatibility. Historically, manufacturing challenges have inhibited the growth of ceramics, but now 3D printing allows complex geometries to be fabricated easily and will play a key role in accelerating adoption of this class of materials.

“We are excited to partner with Fortify as the ceramics market grows,” Trent Allen, CEO of Tethon 3D, says. “We have clear demand from our customer base for more production-oriented solutions.  Fortify Flux printers are a natural complement to our Bison 1000 DLP printer customers as they look to scale their operations.”    

Tethon 3D installed a FLUX CORE printer in their Omaha, NE development facility in mid-June and have used the system, along with Fortify's Flux Developer software, to develop two materials. These materials, Fortify High Purity Alumina (99.8%) (HP-A 99.8) and Low Shrink Aluminum Silicate (LS-AS), will be released at the RAPID + TCT event in September in Chicago. 

These materials have the lowest shrink rate of any similar materials on the market and will enable new geometries for customers across industries.

“Working with Fortify to drive new material formulations has been a pleasure,” Greg Pugh, CTO at Tethon 3D, says. “The overall robustness of the FLUX CORE system and the capabilities of Flux Developer to quickly validate multiple variables simultaneously has really shortened our lead time on new materials. The key demands from our customers are higher purity materials, low shrink rates, and faster processing through print and sintering. The Fortify partnership advances our technology on each of these metrics.”

Fortify and Tethon 3D will be showcasing 3D printed ceramics created through this partnership at Rapid + TCT in September at McCormick Place in Chicago. Visit the companies at Booth #E8652 (Fortify) and E9022 (Tethon 3D).

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.